Running
Back Receivers and
Offensive Line...they're
baaaack! QB Mark
Sanchez bolted to
the NFL but Mitch
Mustain keeps the
offense in good
hands.

The
Entire Defense

The
nation's No. 1 ranked
defense has nine
starting seniors
on the outs. The
“Reload”
theory gets put
to the test on this
side of the ball.

WR
Damian Williams

DB
Taylor Mays

*
DEPTH CHARTS were only designed
as a simplistic gauge for listing
players that departed and players
that received the most playing
experience (consistent starters).
NationalChamps.net recognizes
the importance of missing personnel
data not listed such as redshirts,
transfers, injuries, incoming
recruits, back ups and alternates.
Their coverage will begin with
our full 2009 Preseason Preview
due out this coming spring.

SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA 2009 DEPTH
CHARTReturning
Starters/Key
Players

OFFENSE

QB

Mitch
Mustain-Jr

..

FB

Stanley
Havili-Jr

..

TB

C.J.
Gable-Jr

Joe
McKnight-Jr / Stafon Johnson-Sr

WR

David
Ausberry-Jr

..

WR

Damian
Williams-Jr

Ronald Johnson-Jr

TE

Anthony
McCoy-Sr

Blake
Ayles-So

OT

Charles
Brown-Sr

..

OG

Jeff
Byers-Sr

..

C

Kristofer
O'Dowd-Jr

..

OG

Alex
Parsons-Sr

Zack
Heberer-Jr

OT

Nick
Howell-Sr

Butch
Lewis-Jr

K

..

..

SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA 2009 DEPTH
CHARTReturning
Starters/Key
Players

DEFENSE

DE

..

..

NT

Christian
Tupou-Jr

Averell
Spicer-Sr

DT

Armond
Armstead-So

..

DE

Everson
Griffen-Jr

..

SLB

Michael
Morgan-Jr

..

MLB

Chris
Galippo-So

..

WLB

Malcolm
Smith-Jr

..

CB

Kevin
Thomas-Sr

..

CB

Shareece
Wright-So

..

SS

Will
Harris-Sr

..

FS

Taylor
Mays-Sr

..

P

..

..

QUICK
ANALYSIS

12/9/08
No team in the country can continue
to lose players to the NFL and
reload the way Pete Carroll
does at USC. This obviously
has to do with Carroll’s
uncanny ability to pull in the
best high school players that
the nation has to offer…and
in jaw dropping amounts. This
time around, it will be the
defense that gets replenished.
Simply put, the nation's No.
1 defense (pass, total, scoring)
has nine seniors departing.
And senior-to-be free safety
Taylor Mays may head off to
play on Sundays. The names on
the 2009 defensive depth chart
may have yet to become household
names, but they will quickly
do so. For this ability to reload
so quickly and effortlessly
it is impossible to pull USC
out of our preseason Top 5 list.
Next season, it will be the
offense’s turn to be the
group everyone is discussing.
Senior QB Mark Sanchez is primed
to continue the great reputation
of hurlers here. Should something
prevent him from suiting up
his last season, renowned Arkansas-transfer
Mitch Mustain is still waiting
in the wings. The RB consortium
is still bolstered by Gable,
McKnight and Johnson, while
Damian Williams (another Arkansas
transfer) continues to give
USC weapon choices that can
hang with the best in the nation.
Guard Jeff Byers was the only
senior on this offensive line.
The remaining five positions
(including the TE) are stacked
with seniors. Whew, the threats
of both the running game and
passing game should be equally
as troubling for opposing defenses.
The huge amount of losses on
the defensive side is going
to keep USC from being that
preseason No. 1 team, a posture
Los Angeles has become accustomed
to over the past several seasons.
However, take care of business
against the Oregon State and
Stanford’s of the world
and the Men of Troy will be
right back in the BCS National
Championship Game.

UPDATE:
OG Jeff Byers has been granted
a sixth year of eligibility
for 2009. His return makes this
Trojan OL the most talented
and experienced group in all
of college football for next
season.